Long List Announced for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize

After months of arguing and debating, the 200+ members of the Polaris Music Prize jury (full disclosiure: I am of their number) were called upon to vote on the dozens of suggestions put forward.  After everything was tallied up, the filed was cut down to the Long List featuring 40 records. (See the whole list after the jump.)

Debate and arguments have already begun ahead of the next round of voting which will cull the herd to a final list of 10.  That list will be announced July 17.  We'll find out who wins the $30,000 prize for creating the best Canadian album of the year on September 24 at the big gala in Toronto.

(Not that it's worth bragging about, but I'm gratified to see that four of my five picks made this list.  It's validating to know that other people seem to think the same way.  I don't seem to be too far out to lunch as far as my fellow jurors are concerned.)

Polaris season is always a lot of fun.   Let the sniping, second-guessing, name-calling, whinging, berating and pleaing begin!

The 2012 Polaris Music Prize Long List

1. A Tribe Called Red – A Tribe Called Red
2. Marie-Pierre Arthur – Aux alentours
3. Rich Aucoin – We’re All Dying To Live
4. Avec pas d’casque – Astronomie
5. Azari & III – Azari & III
6. Bahamas – Barchords
7. The Barr Brothers – The Barr Brothers
8. Blackie And The Rodeo Kings – Kings And Queens
9. Cadence Weapon – Hope In Dirt City
10. Kathryn Calder – Bright And Vivid
11. Cannon Bros – Firecracker / Cloudglow
12. Coeur de pirate – Blonde
13. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
14. Cold Specks – I Predict A Graceful Expulsion
15. Rose Cousins – We Have Made A Spark
16. Mark Davis – Eliminate The Toxins
17. Drake – Take Care
18. Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
19. Feist – Metals
20. F----d Up – David Comes To Life
21. Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere
22. Grimes – Visions
23. Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital
24. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
25. Dan Mangan – Oh Fortune
26. Mares Of Thrace – The Pilgrimage
27. Ariane Moffatt – MA
28. Lindi Ortega – Little Red Boots
29. Parlovr – Kook Soul
30. Sandro Perri – Impossible Spaces
31. Joel Plaskett Emergency – Scrappy Happiness
32. PS I Love You – Death Dreams
33. John K. Samson – Provincial
34. Shooting Guns – Born To Deal In Magic: 1952-1976
35. The Slakadeliqs – The Other Side of Tomorrow
36. Patrick Watson – Adventures In Your Own Backyard
37. Bry Webb – Provider
38. The Weeknd – Echoes of Silence
39. Yamantaka // Sonic Titan – YT//ST
40. Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk

Comments

[Steph D]

Hey Alan, what's the cutoff date for an album to make the list? I just picked up the new Metric this week, and I have to think they'd be on the shortlist if they were eligible.

[Cheyenne]

Great to see Tribe Called Red on the list. Seen them at Indigenous After Dark in Vancouver. One of the best shows I've been to (even if it was half of ATCR). So proud of them!

[Zach]

Question. How is Drake on that list? I'm not saying that because I'm not a fan, but isn't he on a major label/not canadian label?